Loading device particularly for feeding screw blanks and the like to a processing machine

ABSTRACT

A loading device particularly for feeding screw blanks and the like rough-shaped pieces to a processing machine comprising a hopper, a base, an upright supported on said base defining part of a wall of said hopper, a slot defining a path comprising a substantially horizontal section on the bottom of said hopper and an ascending section in said upright, an endless driven chain with spaced pushing means movable below said slot, and auxiliary means provided at the upper extremity of said path for advancing said blanks at a greater linear translation velocity than that of said chain.

United States Patent 1191 Castiglioni June 26, 1973 [73] Assignee: SIMA Societa Italiana Macchine Automatiche S.r.L., Comareo (Prov. Milano) Italy [22] Filed: June 1, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 148,591

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Sept. 5, 1970 Italy 29416 A/70 521 U.S. c1 198/33 AA, 198/165 511 Int. c1. 865g 15/14, 865g 47/24 [58] Field of Search 198/33 AA, 173,76,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,911,088 11/1959 lngham ..198/33AA 1,550,803 8/1925 l-larbison 221/165 X FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 2,870 12/1858 Great Britain 221/165 Primary Examiner-Edward A. Sroka Att0rneyFuido Modiano and Albert Josif [5 7] ABSTRACT A loading device particularly for feeding screw blanks and the like rough-shaped pieces to a processing machine comprising a hopper, a base, an upright supported on said base defining part of a wall of said hopper, a slot defining a path comprising a substantially horizontal section on the bottom of said hopper and an ascending section in said upright, an endless driven chain with spaced pushing means movable below said slot, and auxiliary means provided at the upper extremity of said path for advancing said blanks at a greater linear translation velocity than that of said chain.

4 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PAIENIEBmzs mm 3.741. 367

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INVENTOR ALBINO CASTIGLIONI a n-g AGEN LOADING DEVICE PARTICULARLY FOR FEEDING SCREW BLANKS AND THE LIKE TO A PROCESSING MACHINE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION by a machine operator and thus prolong the manufacturing time per screw. In the case of conventional loading devices, a path is provided defined by a slot in which a plurality of spaced toothed members or pushers travel, and which entrain the screw blanks arranged with their shank inserted in the slot and their head in sliding contact with its lateral edges. The screw blanks are firstly placed in bulk in a tray or hopper with their base inclined towards the slot. Due to gravity and the action of the pushers or teeth moved by a chain along the slot, each screw blank becomes arranged in the foregoing manner in said slot. This latter is of such a width as to receive the shank of the blank but not to let its head pass.

The path defined by the slot comprises a first substantially horizontal section in a position corresponding with the tray or hopper, and a second ascending section which terminates upperly at a guide or chute which in its turn introduces the screws or screw blanks into a processing machine. Very often in the zone of passage between the substantially horizontal section and the ascending section the screws heap up or foul each other causing jamming and compelling the machine operator to stop the entrainin g chain in order to unblock the various pieces. Further at the upper extremity of the ascending section of the path where the blanks are transferred to the chute'for introduction to the processing machine, each tooth of the chain undergoes acceleration relative to the entrained blanks, because it has to turn about the driving wheel of the chain. This causes the screw to receive a blow on its shank, because the tooth which begins to turn about the driving wheel of the chain falls with respect to the screw and increases its peripheral velocity to such a level that the screw blanks are often hit and thrown outside the slot.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The main object of this invention is that of substantially eliminating the foregoing disadvantages by providing a loading device for screw blanks of the foregoing type, which is of reliable operation, allows elevated hourly production rates to be obtained and is not subject to frequent jamming. A further object of this invention is that said device is easily adaptable both to a vast range of types and sizes of screw blanks or the like and to various types of processing machines to be fed.

A further object of the present invention is that said device is of simple design and manufacture, occupies minimum space and is of low cost.

A further object of the present invention is that said device has a rational layout of parts, can be rapidly installed and does not require the continuous supervision of an operator. These and further objects which will better appear hereinafter are attained by a loading device particularly for feeding screw blanks and the like to a processing machine, comprising a base, a tray or hopper on said base, an upright supported rigidly on said base and defining at least part of a wall of said tray, a slot which defines a path comprising a first substantially horizontal section provided on the bottom of said tray, and a second ascending section formed in said upright, an endless chain movably mounted below said slot, pushing mans fixed and spaced on said chain and arranged in such a manner as to be able to travel in said slot and driving means for said chain, wherein said first substantially horizontal path section and said second ascending section are connected through a wide radius of curvature and wherein auxiliary means of advancement for said blanks are provided at the upper extremity of said path, and driven at a linear translation velocity substantially greater than that of said chain.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Further characteristics and advantages of the inven-- tion will more clearly appear from the detailed description given hereinafter of a preferred but not limiting embodiment of the invention given by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, I in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view,partially frombehind, of a loading device according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic sectional view on the longitudinal axial plane of the device shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a partially frontal perspective view of the loading device shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a detail of the ascending section of the feed path of the screw blanks;

FIG. 5 is the upper part of the upright provided with auxiliary means of advancement for the blanks;

FIG. 6 is a sectional diagrammatic longitudinal axial view of FIG. 5; and

FIG. 7 is a diagrammatic view from above of FIG. 5.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In the preceding figures the loading device or loader according to the invention is generally indicated at l.

The loader 1 comprises a base 2 substantially consisting of a supporting and/or floor fixing plate. For this. purpose the plate 2 comprises holes 3 for receiving anchoring bolts or the like.

A saddle 4 is mounted on the plate 2 and can be moved transversally with respect to the plate 2 along guides 5 and be adjustably fixed in position by means of bolts 6.

On the saddle 4 a frame 7 is mounted comprising essentially a tray or hopper 8 and an upright 9 mounted rigid with respect to the tray 8. This latter comprises abase and walls converging in the longitudinal direction towards its own center line, while its wall 10 is brought behind the upright 9 to the level of the upright 9, its extension or prolongation being formed by the upright itself.

The upright-9 is inclined with respect to the vertical in the direction away from the tray 8 and its center line is in the same vertical plane as the center line of the tray. More particularly the upright 9 comprises two box-like longitudinal members 11 and 12 which define a slot 13 between them which is prolonged on the boton two corresponding uprights 40, one of which is fixed Below the slot 13 anen d less chain At the driVingwheelIS the chain 14 follows s ub stantially horizontal path as shown inFIG. o6 by thesref erence numeral 20,for reasons whichwill bee hereinafter. Below the traySthe chain windson from the other and slightly when they move alongit.

I The driving wheel 15is driven by a motorized reduc u tion unit generically indicated by the, reference n u-j metal 23 (FIG. 3)"mounted bna plate 24 boltedinjthe slots 25 so that it can be positioned adjustab lyalongthe longitudinal member 12 of the u'pri ght 9. The bracket} 16 is rigid with themotorized reduction unit 23' be cause of which it is adjustably positionable with it; On

the opposite side of the longitudinalmemben ll with respect to the motorized reduction unit 23,11 unit 26 is provided mounted on a plate 27 adjustab ly fixedby way of slots 28 to the longitudinal member Theunit j 26' comprises a motor 29, a pulley 30 driven by, the

motor 29, an idle pulley3l and a steellband 32 which passes over the pulleys 3 1 and a steelyb and 32 which passes over the pulleys 30 and 31 and over a roller 1 This latter, is providedat the extremity of the slot 13 t 13 thus defines a path which comprises afirst substantially horizontalsection 13a at the bottom of the tray Sand a secondascendingsection 13b defined in the upright 9, which are connected 14 travels which is wound on a chain driving wheelf15 situatedona posi tionable bracket 16 arranged in theupper part ofthe 3 upright 9 and on an idle gear wheel lflsituated below the tray 8. The gear wheel'17 is mounted on afchain tightening device generically'indicated withythe reference numeral 18 and operat'ed by way of the control ned n idly mounted gearwheel 21.On the chain 14 pmmn yer pawls or pushers 22 is mounted whichare;spaced one project above the slot 13 {he otheron the longitudinalfmembe rIZiIndicatedJb the reference; numeral 41. Because of the presence of gliacking devices not shown) the units 23 and 26 can be raised and lowered alongthe respective slots and 28 [by acting with afcrank (not shown) on the hub (42a) provided on the longitudinal member 12st) asto "be the chute 36 at a higher velocity. Even inthe case which ablar ik in contact with a pusher 22, it will not undergo blows by thislatter because it is obliged m o j withdrawefrorn the pusherby the action of the band, 32.1 a

On the otherha nd, when the pusher 22 begins to turn I,

aboutthe wheel 15, it islocated at such a distancefrom the slot l3as not to be able so that in conjunctionwith the pulley30itbrings thef band 32 parallel and coincident with one sidepiec e 34 of the slot. The band 32 between theroller 33 arid pulley 30 is at a lower level than the side piece 34 (FIG; 6), which terminates at the roller 33 in the mannerillustrated for example in F IG. 7. The direct o ment of the bank 32 is indicated by the a row B;

The unit 26 is partially covered by a protectivefc over 35 (FIG. 5) and is coupled; in a removablemannertol a guide or chute 36 whichdisc liarges onto akproce ssihg 'tionl y l a t partof a wall of said tray ajslotwhich defines apath; a comprisinga firstsubstantiallyhorizontal sectionprovviderl orrthebjot torn of saidtray and a second ascendl ing sectionfrennee in saidupright, said first anclseojnd 'eingconnected through a wide radius of Eur; vature an endless chaininovably mounted below said slot faiid provided withfpu shing means spaced on said o o no such amanner as tojbe able to travellihsairislot for dvancingsaid screwsandthelike means for said chain and means bf advancementforsaid blanks at the upper extremity ;of said path, said means of advancement including a unit comprising two pulleys and a band wound on said 7 pulleys, said band comprising a section substantially machine (not shown bAbojve the ascending se of the slot 13 in the uprightSl, aflexible plate 3 reaches the back of the chute 36. More par r iml ported by two helical springs 39 placedwand ancho red to the longitudinalrnember :1 land the other iio tlielona notch for receiving theupright. This allows the muonofmo ve t 5 3 1. o loadingidevice part cularly for feeding screw "blank add n liters processing machine,y coi npri ring atraylor hopper lfor saidj screws and thelike,"an u rightsuppoi'ted rigidly on said base and defining at l east 3 PW? vided which follows the direction of the slot untilit fl the 1 tual approach or withdrawal of the longitudinal mem bers 11 and 12 within certain limits, in order to vary with width of the slot 13.

The slot 13 is bordered by two side pieces atthe upa right 9, one indicated by thereferencenumeral 34 and conveyed by the band above toadapt the loader 1 to various typesof proces ing machines. 1 t V Each pusher 22 fcan thus push one or more blanks t forwardin thedirection ofgthe arrow A. Because of the large radius ofcurvature of the section113e there isno Q risk of blanks ja rnming against the slot 13. If onefl piecefs houldpartially foulanother, it is compelled to takej upitscorrect position on passing under the plate 37.Theunitf 26, is started "simultaneously with the unit o y 23,and( driestheband 32 at a linear velocity greater thanfthatfiof the chain 14.Consequently;"when the :blankhiriks at the roller 33, one end of itwill still rest v on the siclepiece 4l while the other will be lowered onto the band 32and will be made to advance towa rds Finallysenlargement of the slot 13 for adaptation t o bIan ksof differentjthicknessesis made lactingon 1 whl jby waybfa crank appliedto the l kconnection 43 (FIG 3 Obviously by v ryi g n the; assess 41 the loader 1;can be adapteci'tosuitblanks 42 0f various lengths within saidslot; drivm a linear translation o interfere with the blanks 2. A loading device as claimed in claim 1, wherein,

displace along a portion of said uprights and secured in an adjustable position thereon.

4. A loading device as claimed in claim 1, which further comprises a sprung plate arranged above said slot to eliminate possible defects in alignment of the blanks pushed along said slot, said sprung plate extending continuously above said upper extremity of said path and said means of advancement. 

1. A loading device particularly for feeding screw blanks and the like to a processing machine, comprising a tray or hopper for said screws and the like, an upright supported rigidly on said base and defining at least part of a wall of said tray, a slot which defines a path comprising a first substantially horizontal section provided on the bottom of said tray and a second ascending section formed in said upright, said first and second section being connected through a wide radius of curvature, an endless chain movably mounted below said slot and provided with pushing means spaced on said chain and arranged in such a manner as to be able to travel in said slot for advancing said screws and the like within said slot, driving means for said chain and means of advancement for said blanks at the upper extremity of said path, said means of advancement including a unit comprising two pulleys and a band wound on said pulleys, said band comprising a section substantially parallel and in continuation to one side of said slot, driving means being provided for moving said band at a linear translation velocity substantially greater than that of said chain.
 2. A loading device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said band section substantially parallel to one side of said slot and arranged as a continuation of it is arranged in a substantially horizontal plane which also contains the upper extremity of the other side of said slot.
 3. A loading device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said auxiliary means of advancement are mounted on a support unit including said upper extremity of said path, said support unit having means for being slideably displace along a portion of said uprights and secured in an adjustable position thereon.
 4. A loading device as claimed in claim 1, which further comprises a sprung plate arranged above said slot to eliminate possible defects in alignment of the blanks pushed along said slot, said sprung plate extending continuously above said upper extremity of said path and said means of advancement. 